Point of No Return

July 17, 2018 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Based on the fascinating true story of Australia’s first boys’ prison, Point of No Return is a riveting, energetic new Australian drama about a group of youths struggling to survive in Tasmania’s Point Puer Boys’ Prison.

Established in 1834, Point Puer Boys’ Prison is located next to Port Arthur Prison and was the first of its kind for the British Empire; an experiment that aimed to rehabilitate young offenders. On opening, there were 68 boys aged from 10 to 20 years old. The inmates were given the opportunity to learn a trade, read, and write, but this was sporadic and depended on the skills and attitudes of the guards, many of whom were once prisoners at Port Arthur. Living conditions in the prison were rough, and punishments were often brutal.

Centering around a group of young convicts, Point of No Return is a journey of boys becoming men – of youths desperately seeking a place to belong. A powerful exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and gang mentality, this important new work also explores rehabilitation versus punishment in the prison system – a topic still heavily debated today. Littered with struggle and hardship, Point of No Return is also a unique tale of hope, as many of these boys left Point Puer to become Australia’s first colonists.

An award-winning production written and directed by Alaine Beek, the 2018 Victorian Tour of Point of No Return offers theatre lovers a rare glimpse into a little known corner of Australian history.